Raging Rieko: Why Hansen couldn't ignore Ioane

Waisake Naholo, left, and Israel Dagg are facing new competition in the wings. Photo / photosport.nz

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen dropped enough hints about Rieko Ioane. We should have twigged that he and his fellow selectors were thinking about picking Ioane to start against the Lions.

When the All Blacks team to play Samoa was named, Hansen was asked whether Waisake Naholo, who had played a blinder for the Highlanders, was in the running to come into the side for the first test against the Lions.

Of course he was, but without being prompted, he went on to say how impressed he'd been with the way Ioane had played for the Blues against the Lions.

After the All Blacks test against Samoa, Hansen was asked about the performances of his two wings - Israel Dagg and Julian Savea.

Dagg, reckoned Hansen, had shown great pace and awareness and that satisfied as confirmation that the veteran had claimed the No 14 jersey.

Savea had done his best to get involved but didn't get much reward for it. And there it was again, an unprompted reference to Ioane who would later play that night for the Maori against the Lions.

Hansen again said he wanted to see Ioane back up on his performance for the Blues and that he and fellow selectors Ian Foster and Grant Fox were road tripping to Rotorua to have a look.

It wasn't a memorable night for Ioane. But then again it wasn't a memorable night for the Maori and while Ioane didn't progress his claim he didn't do an awful lot to damage it either.

So when it came to picking the team to play the Lions, Hansen and his selection crew had to find a way to pick between Savea, Ioane and Naholo.

If they wanted experience, Savea would be their man. If it was unpredictability, then Naholo was going to be the right choice.

But clearly what they wanted was the player with the most to offer and that was Ioane. His form has been outstanding all year - too good to not be rewarded.

He started the season scoring a hat-trick for the Blues and each week has done something, be it with or without the ball, to have an influence.

He's probably the pick of the three under the high ball. He has height, size and confidence to get off the ground and trust his skills.

And then he has two trump cards - two special gifts that Hansen and the All Blacks couldn't resist.

The first is his pace. He's the quickest All Black in the squad. Quicker than Beauden Barrett and he demonstrated how deadly he can be when he scored for the Blues against the Lions by simply stepping on the gas and coasting into acres of space.

The Lions cover defence was blown away. Within 10 metres Ioane had left them floundering and so far, that was the only moment on this tour when the Lions have been exposed defensively out wide.

There are few qualities more treasured in test football than pace.

His second trump card is his defence. Ioane reads the game well but more than that, he comes off the line, accelerates into contact and wraps up ball carriers.

He's a high impact defender, more than capable of putting doubt into the minds of a few Lions backs if he can line them up early and get his shoulders hard into their rib cage.

In the end, Ioane just felt like the right option and while he may only be 20, he's played at the Olympics and both his test appearances to date came at huge European grounds that were packed.

Somehow, though, Ioane's selection still feels like a surprise when it really shouldn't.

All Blacks team to play the Lions at Eden Park on Saturday (caps in brackets):
1. Joe Moody (25)
2. Codie Taylor (16)
3. Owen Franks (91)
4. Brodie Retallick (61)
5. Samuel Whitelock (85)
6. Jerome Kaino (78)
7. Sam Cane (41)
8. Kieran Read (97)
9. Aaron Smith (59)
10. Beauden Barrett (50)
11. Rieko Ioane (2)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (34)
13. Ryan Crotty (26)
14. Israel Dagg (62)
15. Ben Smith (61)

Reserves:
16. Nathan Harris (5)
17. Wyatt Crockett (59)
18. Charlie Faumuina (47)
19. Scott Barrett (5)
20. Ardie Savea (13)
21. TJ Perenara (30)
22. Aaron Cruden (47) / Lima Sopoaga (7)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (10)